AIRBUS' ZEPHYR high-altitude platform station (HAPS) will be used to identify early deployment requirements for providing connectivity from the stratosphere in a project with Nippon Telegraph and Telephone and SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation.The Zephyr is a fixed-wing, solar powered unmanned aerial system designed to operate in the stratosphere for prolonged time periods. It will "test HAPS connectivity, identify practical applications, develop required technologies and ultimately launch space-based wireless broadband services" as part of the project, an Airbus statement said.The company explained: "HAPS networks are deemed to be a relatively easy solution for air and sea connectivity and an effective platform for deploying disaster countermeasures, plus they have many industrial applications.
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